Category: safety

recommendations after watching Athlete A

Enya Tierney reflects on Netflix’s Athlete A documentary.

Some recommendations for coaches:

  • Most coaches were once a gymnast, treat your athletes the way you would have liked to be treated when you were one of them.

  • Just because when you were a gymnast, your coaches were too strict or abusive towards you, it does not mean it’s the only way you can coach. Remember that you can break the chain!

  • Positive reinforcement is the most effective and civilised coaching method.

  • Listening to your gymnasts is part of your job, make them feel you are on their side!

  • If they complain about pains and physical restrictions don’t assume they are exaggerating. Listen to them, adapt your session plans to their needs, and be in touch with parents and doctors to find out what’s best for your athlete.

  • Make your feedback useful. We have advice on how to give good feedback on our Gym etiquette: three simple things to do at gymnastics training.

  • Your job is not only to make good athletes. It’s also about their personal and physical development, protecting their best interest, and giving them a safe and fear-free environment to practice. …

WHAT’S WRONG WITH RG COACHING? REFLECTIONS ON NETFLIX’S ATHLETE A

Danell Leyva – wind sprints

Working on routine endurance.

I also like these fast side-to-side stop / starts for knee and ankle injury prevention.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

Simone’s first week at the Ranch

It was 2011, when Simone was 13.

Aimee Boorman: When Simone became a Level 10 [the highest level before elite], we started talking about her becoming an elite. But when we first submitted videos to get her into [USA Gymnastics] developmental camp, the national team staff declined our request. We were told, no, she’s not ready, even though she had all of these skills, because her uneven bars skills were too weak. So when we did get an invitation to camp, we were very excited and we tried to showcase what Simone was good at.

Nellie Biles: I thought attending this first camp was the turning point for Simone in her career, so I was very excited.

Boorman: Simone was praised by the [national team] coaches about what a great job she had done. Then Martha just railed at her, said she wasn’t working hard enough and that she wasn’t good enough. Simone was devastated …

Boorman: The next camp was only three weeks away, so I talked to Simone and her parents. I never made any decisions without involving her and her parents. I think if she had the same experience at that next developmental camp with Martha, it would have broken her. It may not have taken her love out of gymnastics, but it would’ve made her not want to go back to the Ranch. We decided to decline the next camp. When we did, we weren’t invited back [by Martha] for more than a year. …

How Simone Biles found her voice and changed gymnastics culture

NEW podcast on the Karolyis

A podcast series on the Karolyis dropped July 14th.

How to listen to and download the 30 for 30 podcast ‘Heavy Medals’ on the Karolyi gymnastics empire.

Read a preview of the audio series on ESPN.

It includes interviews with Aimee Boorman, Nellie Biles, Maggie Nichols, Scott Reid, Jordyn Wieber, Missy Marlowe, Jessica O’Beirne and many more.

How Simone Biles found her voice and changed gymnastics culture

Independent Review  of British Gymnastics

More British gymnasts have come forward with stories of past abuse including the Downie sisters and Rio 2016 medallist Amy Tinkler.

On Wednesday, Olympic medallist Beth Tweddle said “there is no place for bullying or abuse in the sport that I love”, and urged all gymnasts to share their feelings.

At a Board meeting on Tuesday night British Gymnastics made the decision to step aside to allow UK Sport and Sport England to co-commission the Independent Review it first established following concerns raised by British gymnasts about mistreatment.

British Gymnastics originally announced the commissioning of a QC led Independent Review last week. However, to remove any doubt of the Review’s integrity or independence, British Gymnastics has asked that UK Sport and Sport England now co-commission it. …

British Gymnastics step aside to remove doubts about review

coach Terry Gray charged

A former gymnastics coach was arrested in Las Vegas and faces 14 counts …

Terry Gray, 52, was a coach at a gym in the city from 2009 to 2015, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said in a statement. …
Gray also coached at gyms in Cincinnati and Southern California, according to multiple reports. None of these current charges are related to those gyms.
In October 2019, he was suspended by USA Gymnastics for two years, according to the USA Gymnastics’ website. …

Denmark won’t host 2021 Worlds

FIG will search for a new host.

The Danish Gymnastics Federation has informed the FIG of its withdrawal from hosting the 50th World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, due to be held in Copenhagen in October 2021. … 

Also, the next #FIG Congress, originally scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey from 23 to 25 October 2020, is postponed a year.

Review of British Gymnastics

Jane Allen, CEO of British Gymnastics:

“There is nothing more important for British Gymnastics than the welfare of our gymnasts at every level of our sport and we will continually strive to create a culture where people feel they can raise any concerns that they may have.”

British Gymnastics announce independent review